Southern Province · Rwanda
Kigali
Rwanda’s capital and the arrival point for every trip into the country.
Overview
Almost every visit to Rwanda begins and ends in Kigali. The airport sits fifteen minutes from the centre, the roads out to Volcanoes and Akagera are good, and most itineraries spend at least one night here at either end. It is worth more than a transit stop. The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the single most important place to visit in the country and the context for everything else a traveller will see; most people find half a day is the right amount of time. Beyond it, the city has a serious coffee culture, a growing restaurant scene and craft markets in Nyamirambo. Kigali is also unusually easy to move around. It is widely considered among the cleanest and safest capitals in Africa, and walking in the central districts is normal in a way it is not in most cities of comparable size.
Browse by category in Kigali
Operators serving Kigali
Nyanza · Rwanda
Bonnie's Tours & Adventures
Taba · Rwanda
Nyamas
Nyanza · Rwanda
EL-GIBOR Guest House
Nyanza · Rwanda
Rwanda African Art Museum
Nyanza · Rwanda
QUALITY INN MOTEL NYANZA
Things to do in Kigali
Places and experiences rather than companies. Each one carries the thing you would otherwise find out by turning up.
Kigali Genocide Memorial
MuseumThe memorial and museum at Gisozi, where over 250,000 people are buried.
Entry is free and the audio guide is worth the fee. Allow more time than you think and do not schedule anything demanding afterwards.
3 hoursFree
Nyamirambo walking tour
CultureThe city’s oldest and liveliest quarter, walked with a local guide.
Run by a women’s cooperative, and the closest thing Kigali has to an unvarnished street-level tour.
3 hoursPaid
Where these are, around Kigali
60 listings with a mapped location.
Map of 60 listings
- Listed
When to visit Kigali
Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.
October
Long rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.
- Wildlife
- —
- Weather
- Weather: 2 / 5
- Crowds
- Crowds: 3 / 5
- Rainfall
- 180 mm
- Temperature
- 15–27 °C
Show all twelve monthsHide the full table
| Best time to visit | Wildlife | Weather | Crowds | Rainfall | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 80 mm | 15–27 °C |
| FebruaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 90 mm | 15–28 °C |
| MarchLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 160 mm | 15–27 °C |
| AprilLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 1 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 200 mm | 16–26 °C |
| MayLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 160 mm | 16–26 °C |
| JunePeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | — | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 25 mm | 14–27 °C |
| JulyPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | — | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 15 mm | 14–28 °C |
| AugustPeak dry season — the best game viewing and the highest prices. | — | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 40 mm | 14–28 °C |
| SeptemberShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 90 mm | 15–28 °C |
| OctoberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 180 mm | 15–27 °C |
| NovemberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 190 mm | 15–26 °C |
| DecemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 110 mm | 15–27 °C |